Sponsors

Bizbuzz.co.nz has provided information, resources, tools, support and an active and growing online community for home and small business owners throughout New Zealand since 2000. The David Awards: heroes in small business is an initiative of the Bizbuzz web site.

BNI New Zealand, established in 1999, is the country’s largest structured business networking organisation for small to medium businesses. With over 2,600 members and 120 groups around the country in 2015 they generated near $60 million in business.

As a business community, BNI helps create business opportunities through a structured system of referrals and reciprocity, based on trust and giving. Business owners from all types of industries (only one trade representative per group) meet weekly. They build sustainable relationships with other businesses, develop new networks and take BNI’s underlying philosophy of ‘Givers Gain’ to grow their businesses.

BNI has a proven record of having a huge impact on the sales growth of businesses that get involved with it because of the importance of building good, trusted relationships. Now as a partner to the David Awards, BNI has the opportunity to engage with owners of small businesses and align its brand with supporting grass roots and start-up businesses in New Zealand.

Find out more about BNI: www.bni.co.nz. Our support team will help you find a relevant business group in your area and set up a free visit so you can attend and see for yourself how we work.

NZBusiness is the magazine targeted squarely at this nation’s owner operators and owner managers. Their businesses (defined as those employing 1- 20 staff), make up 96% of all enterprises by number and account for nearly 40% of value added output.

What past entrants say

As a small business owner it’s very easy to forget and celebrate how far you’ve come because we often think about the future, what’s next and take time to stop, pause and reflect. Also entering the awards allowed us to assess all our systems and processes as to how effective and efficient they are, and by spending time “on the business” rather than “in” allowed us to further tighten our systems and foster new ideas that can be used.

Oh – and winning the Supreme Award and the trophy was terrific too!!!

Sachie Nomura

Sachie's Kitchen, Supreme Winner, The David Awards 2012

I would recommend any small business to enter the David Awards. Winning the Supreme Award was both an honour and surprise, it’s great to be recognised for doing what you love every day.

The whole Pure SEO team gathered in the boardroom to watch the results on the big screen, the reaction when we won was amazing – the entire team were extremely proud.

We have since used momentum from the win to build and grow our business even more.

Richard Conway

Pure SEO, Supreme Winner. The David Awards 2013

Entering the awards allowed us to look at our business from a different angle, celebrate our success and identify areas for improvement. We've come a long way from a suburban garage in Palmerston North... We still both work from home, enjoying the flexible lifestyle rewards; but also the challenges of running what is now a multi-million dollar business with pre-school aged kids sitting underneath the desks and playing in the offices.

The Supreme award was a delightful addition [to the Lifestyle and Transitional awards] and we're sure that we will receive incalculablebenefits from receiving the award

Joe Hesmondhalgh

GroutPro, Supreme Winner, The David Awards 2011

Firstly, it allowed us to apply for an award in the true context of our present situation, that of the little battler struggling to emerge from amongst giants. With most awards this aspect is downplayed. In the case of the David Awards it is celebrated.

Secondly, the categories are reflective of the genuine stages faced by startups. Like the above, this allows us to present ourselves frankly and candidly and be judged in a small business context absent the pressure and sophisticated PR of larger operations. […] That we are privileged to have received this award means we can, on our website and other marketing material and in conversation, drop in the fact that we are 'winners'.

To have been externally judged and found meritorious, especially in a place as small as NZ, is very valuable. We will lean on this honour for years to come.

Winning the 2010 Supreme Award secured us some great publicity as well as additional credibility with new customers.

The whole David Awards experience also gave me confidence and impetus to really push forward in overseas markets. As a result we have recently experienced some encouraging success breaking into the Australian market and we’re building a successful relationship with a UK partner.

Jackie Rive

Brookby Herbs, Supreme Winner, The David Awards 2010.

We are just so humbled by this result. We never expected to win both the categories we entered, let alone the top prize. We are blown away by this recognition, and by the feedback we are receiving from our community.

Just entering The David Awards was an opportunity to reflect on what our team has done in our short time as a company, and celebrate many small achievements where we have helped people. It’s brought our team closer together and reminded me personally why I started this business.

To be a finalist was an honour in and of itself. To win Most Outstanding Fledgling Business and Most Community-Minded Business is so humbling. To win the Supreme Award as well… I’m almost at a loss for words.

Blair Ashdowne

Heat Pumps NOW, Supreme Winner, The David Awards 2015.

I think the entry format is great. the informal nature of the awards ceremony (some of them are just money-making spinners and all a load of hype). Can't wait to get my subscription of NZ Business!

Entrant

2015 post-Awards survey

It's great that there is an awards group for small-medium businesses around NZ where everyone has a chance to show their stuff. It's not industry specific and it's easy to enter. Don't change that aspect.

Entrant

2015 post-Awards survey

I can confidently say the David Awards for us was great in terms of great PR, new clients (even this week we got a client who saw our article in NZ Business after we won), and of course the thrill. But for me, the best part was seeing how my team felt about us winning this together and watching them grow in confidence of who we are and how we do things.

It was an amazing boost within the first two years of business – like any business owner, even when things are going well, there is a huge responsibility to deliver to both your team and to your clients. To celebrate that hard work and know others have seen your success is just the best feeling.